


afternoons at hyde

by coronaofastar



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, featuring gabriel lightwood as the Best Uncle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:41:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27676187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coronaofastar/pseuds/coronaofastar
Summary: “Barbara,” Gabriel said. He was making a show out of rolling up his shirt sleeves, taking care with the cuffs. “I’m coming to get you.”“Nnno,” said Barbara, smushing her smile into her papa’s legs.“Barbara,” Gabriel said again. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up in tufts. His green eyes were gleaming with mischief. “I’m coming...to get you!”He swooped down on her - Barbara squealed and ran giggling - and Gabriel chased her out onto the green, careful to leave just enough distance between them to convince Barbara she really could outrun him.An afternoon in Hyde Park.
Relationships: Cecily Herondale/Gabriel Lightwood
Comments: 10
Kudos: 37





	afternoons at hyde

**Author's Note:**

  * For [liviadovehallow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liviadovehallow/gifts).



> A while ago Maggie ([@liviadovehallow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liviadovehallow/works) / [@livia-dovehallow](https://livia-dovehallow.tumblr.com/)) was having a Time and I offered to write her a gift fic. This is not that fic! This is a "congratulations on graduating, Maggie" fic written from a plot she pitched in our DMs. CONGRATULATIONS ON GRADUATING, MAGGIE! We haven't know each other for very long, but I love talking to you bc you're hilarious and I'm very proud of you.
> 
> anyway i still owe you a gift fic. everyone go congratulate Maggie!! and also read her gabrily fics bc they're dope!!

“I can’t play, lovey,” Gideon said to his desolate toddler.

Autumn had come to Hyde Park, and the tops of trees had begun to turn gold just-so. It was a rare, spot-of-sun sort of day, and Gideon had dropped in with his girls to propose giving poor Sophie a bit of peace with an afternoon in the park. Cecily and Gabriel had agreed, being of the sort who were powerless against sunny park romps and adorable little nieces who said, “Please,” and so here they were on a park bench with a spectacular stretch of green nearby where they supposed Barbara could play.

This, being conditional on Barbara actually _going_ to play.

“Please?” Barbara asked, who very often got her way when she said _Please_ _,_ and slumped over her papa’s knees in a fit of dramatic despair to rival Will’s when Gideon again told her no. “I have to look after Eugenia because she’s so little, remember?” he said patiently.

“Don’t _like_ Genie,” Barbara said darkly, correctly pinning her woes on her brand-new sister, who continued to doze in her pram, unconcerned with all worldly events.

“Well, that’s no good,” Gabriel told her, leaning over to tousle the little dark head. “I’ll play with you, Barbara Bear. Do you want to play chase?”

“No,” said the petulant little girl, determined to sulk.

“Barbara,” Gabriel said. He was making a show out of rolling up his shirt sleeves, taking care with the cuffs. “I’m coming to get you.”

“Nnno,” said Barbara, smushing her smile into her papa’s legs.

“Barbara,” Gabriel said again. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up in tufts. His green eyes were gleaming with mischief. “I’m coming...to get you!”

He swooped down on her - Barbara squealed and ran giggling - and Gabriel chased her out onto the green, careful to leave just enough distance between them to convince Barbara she really could outrun him. That was the appeal of the game, Cecily supposed, and could remember her parents doing something in the same vein when she was a child.

Beside her, Gideon let out a long, tired sigh, which would be nearly inaudible if they weren’t sharing a park bench. Cecily noted the shadows beneath his eyes and thought with some amusement that they might as well have left Gideon at home for a bit of peace himself.

“Would a Wakefulness rune help?” she asked, producing her stele.

“Please,” said Gideon, and sat up a little straighter while Cecily Marked him. “Thank the Angel for Gabriel.”

“You know we’re always willing to watch the girls, should you and Sophie ever want some time to yourselves.” Gabriel and Barbara were now chasing each other in circles: Barbara would run one way, and Gabriel would step into her path; she’d squeal, reverse course, and Gabriel would be there. This went on for a startling amount of time without either of them getting tired. “Or even just to sleep for a few hours.”

Gideon shook his head. “You’re very kind, Cecily, but we couldn’t ask that of you. You and Gabriel should enjoy your time together as newlyweds without the intruding patter of little feet. There’ll be time for that yet,” he added, wryly.

“You insult me, sir, by insinuating I would not want to care for my nieces,” Cecily said in the haughtiest tone she could manage, and Gideon laughed. Cecily bore down on him. “Are they not _my_ nieces, and are we not family?”

“Since you agreed to marry Gabriel, yes.”

“Then ask anytime, and don’t be an idiot.”

Her blunt conclusion made Gideon laugh harder. “Alright, alright, my apologies,” he said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “Blame my addled wits on the lack of sleep. You sound like Gabriel.”

Cecily opened her mouth, but before she could say anything else, Barbara came running full pelt across the grass towards them. Gideon shifted the pram slightly aside, anticipating that his daughter was about to scramble up into his lap for a cuddle, but instead Barbara dove behind the bench on her hands and knees.

Gideon gave Cecily a bemused look, then shifted to peer over the back of the bench. “What are you up to now, lovey?” he asked, and was promptly shushed.

“‘M hiding,” Barbara said importantly. “Shh, Papa!”

Cecily knew this game, having dutifully played her part in it many times. She put a hand on Gideon’s arm and inclined her head slightly towards Gabriel, who was strolling leisurely toward them. They arranged themselves in displays of casualness, doing their best to contain their hilarity lest they be scolded by little Barbara.

Gabriel came to a stop by the bench. His eyes twinkled at Cecily. “Good afternoon, sir and lady,” he said formally. “I wonder if you’ve seen a little girl around here? A little...Barbara Bear?”

Behind the bench came the sound of said little girl attempting to stifle her giggles.

“Is she blond, in a little pink dress?” Gideon asked. He was grinning, but his tone was perfectly mild. More giggling.

“Quite the opposite, actually. She has dark hair, and she’s wearing a green dress.” Gabriel heaved a theatrical sigh. “I suppose that means you haven’t seen her.”

“Dear me,” Cecily said, raising her eyebrows. “You don’t mean to suggest that you’ve lost this little girl, have you?”

“Well.” Gabriel heaved another sigh. “I’m afraid so, dear lady. You see, she was much too fast for me.”

There came a peal of delighted laughter, and Barbara scooted out from behind the bench. “I’m going to get you!” Gabriel cried, swooping down on her, but she evaded his grasping arms and ran back out onto the green, giggling all the while, with Gabriel close behind.

“He’s going to make a fine father someday,” Gideon said fondly, watching his brother chase after small, bobbing Barbara.

“I’ve no doubt of that,” Cecily said, with equal fondness, but added a little more soberly, “He does, though.”

Gideon sighed. Gabriel had taken to swooping dramatically down on Barbara as she ran in wide circles around him, and they heard the high giggles of a happy toddler ring out clear across the green. “Benedict,” he said, almost an oath but a few shades grimmer.

“Gabriel worries about becoming him, but he could never.”

“No,” Gideon agreed. He watched Gabriel thoughtfully. “Do you know, I worried about leaving him with our father. I knew Benedict’s plans for all of us - strategic marriages, money, politics. I worried he would twist Gabriel into his exact image and I worried Gabriel would become him of his own volition. But he’s a far better man than our father could ever hope to be. I’m proud of him, and I’m grateful for him.”

There was a sleepy cry from Eugenia. Cecily waited until Gideon had checked on his infant daughter and was lulling her back to sleep to ask, “Grateful?”

Gideon smiled. “The girls, of course. Sophie trusts him with the children, and so do I. How many children can claim such an adoring uncle?”

Out on the green, Gabriel was slowing down to a stumble. “Oh, no,” he said theatrically. “You’re much too fast for me, Barbara...too...fast…” He pretended to swoon, threw up his arms and slowly sank to his knees before falling over in the grass, where he lay still.

Cecily clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing, but Barbara stopped running, eyes wide. “Uncle Gabe?” She trotted back to him, patted him clumsily, and when that failed to rouse him, she clambered square onto his chest. “Uncle Gaaabe - ”

Gabriel burst up in a flurry of motion. “Got you!” he roared, catching Barbara in his arms, and she squealed in delight as he rolled her into the grass. The squeals became a fit of extra-loud giggles when Gabriel launched a tickle attack. “No!” Barbara giggled, kicking her feet. “No, no!”

Gabriel doubled his tickle efforts. Barbara shrieked with laughter.

“You know,” Gideon said thoughtfully, gently rocking baby Eugenia in her pram, “sometimes I think Gabriel is as dramatic as Will.”

“Well, don’t let Gabriel hear you say that,” said Cecily, and grinned. “Or worse, _Will.”_

Gideon smiled at her. “I’m grateful for you as well, Cecily.”

Cecily raised her eyebrows. “For me?”

“You make Gabriel happy.” Cecily instinctively looked to her husband - and found him looking back, eyes shining, while Barbara clambered on his back like a little monkey, as though he’d been looking at her for some time. “I couldn’t ask for anything else in a sister-in-law.”

**Author's Note:**

> Part that is really very cute, but had to be sacrificed:  
>   
> Gabriel came back, rumpled and grass-stained, and Barbara giggling madly with her arms clasped round his neck. “I can’t find Barbara again,” he announced.  
> “Have you checked your right shoulder?” Cecily suggested, and as Gabriel looked right, Barbara hid her face against his left shoulder, giggling. “Left?”  
> Gabriel looked, and Barbara was not so quick to dodge this time, which prompted another round of giggles. “Aha!” he said. “A Barbara Bear! Cecy, my love, would you remove this limpet from my back?”  
> “Not a limpet!” cried the little girl, as she allowed herself to be moved from her uncle into the arms of her loving aunt.


End file.
